Continental 3

6939 Austin Street,

Forest Hills,
NY11375

Tinseltoes, the original Continental Theatre (now Brandon Cinemas) was located across the street and down the block from the Continental 3, which was opened in former retail space as a sister to the earlier house, which had been twinned by that time. I had posted a link to your 1981 image in the comment thread of the Brandon Cinemas page. I was hoping you might re-post the photo to the right theater.

Tinseltoes. Obviously you didn’t read the comment the webmaster, Ken Roe, addressed to you, in part, on the Community Twin site. The top ribbon was created at the time the theatre was entered on CT from sources which may not have been correct. There is no way of making the correction. So there is no point in reporting this problem on a theatre by theatre basis.

The Continental “Triplex” was the last stop for me in my stint with UA. I was the manager for just three months in 1988 before throwing in the towel.

Continental number 3 was a beautiful theatre. It possessed a large auditorium, 70mm capability and dolby sound. The theatre was very young and in great condition.

Continental 1 and 2 was a dump. Old beat up seats, the screens were mounted up too high to comfortably watch a movie and the projection booth was pre-historic. I also remember the concession stand was positioned so that there was maybe a four-foot wide space between the stand and theatre doors.

Closing theatre number 3 and keeping Continental 1&2 open was in my opinion a mistake.

I only made it to the Continental 3 on one occasion, when I saw Stanley Kubrik’s Full Metal Jacket, right after its release. The big screen, excellent sound set up really worked to enhance my enjoyment of this film. The demise of this theater is certainly to be regretted.

I remember this theater well from the 80’s. I used the Continental 1 and 2 across the street a lot, but was happy when a movie I wanted to see was in the Continental 3, as the screen was so large.
Lots of memories here.

Robbie… I think your comment (as well as the one from nearly two years ago by stukgh) belongs on the page for the original Continental Theater (now the UA Brandon Cinemas) that was located across the street and down the block from this one. The Continental 3 was an annex to the old Continental, and opened in a separate building on the other side of Austin, carved from former retail space sometime in the early ‘80’s.

Anyway, from retail space it came and to retail space it has returned.

I remember the Continental in the 60’s when it was a single screen member of the Walter Reade chain and showed mainly foreign and art films. As a kid at the time, my main experience of the theater was when it showed “Goldfinger” in Spring 1965. Yes, there was a time when James Bond films were considered as somewhat exotic imports which played exclusive engagements in Manhattan and then came to a few select venues in the boros. The Continental was the only theater anywhere near my neighborhood to play Goldfinger, which I went to see every weekend for its entire run, which I think was a month long.
Once the Bond Craze took off, right after the release of Goldfinger, the first 3 films were repeatedly re-released in wide distribution, and in various combinations, over the next couple of years.
Another Continental memory is Mel Brooks “The Producers” which had a long run in Summer 1968.

I use to work at the the Continental when it was split into 2 buildings. Continential 1 & 2 (Twin) is now the Brandon and Continental 3 which was across the street and is now closed. The Continental 3 bosted the biggest screen and capacity in the outer boroughs. It had a dolby sound system that was incredible. It is a shame that they didn’t keep that building open but after they renovated the Midway theatre they decided to close it and the twin. They remodeled the twin and now call it the Brandon. Its a shame that it closed because the theatre brought a lot of business to shops in the area.

This was a bizarre attempt at megaplexing. This theater stood a few blocks away form its other two screens in what appeared to be a converted building space. The theater was quite large and minimalist in design. I’m not surprised that it was closed after a brief theatrical run.